Q&A: Yeek on Festivals and Exploring His Visual Craft
Digitally published by The Luna Collective, August 2022. View original publication.
HEADING BACK TO THE ROOT - Yeek’s music career thus far has seen three albums, major streaming numbers, and explosive performances for a loyal fanbase.
The tri-coastal artist has explored a variety of sounds and energies within his discography thus far, most notably shifting with 2021’s Valencia into a variety of experimental synth and vocal shifts that garnered the rapt attention and support of listeners. June’s newest single “Long Time No See” has launched us into the latest era of Yeek, and it’s safe to say the New Jersey native is ready to show the world the newest iteration of himself and his artistry on all fronts.
With new music in the works and a dive back into his love of visuals and design, Yeek flew on stage in a blaze of glory this past weekend at 88Rising’s Head In The Clouds Festival. Luna Collective had the opportunity to catch up with Yeek prior to his set to talk about everything related to his new music, his love of festival energy, and his dreams to direct a film one day, so read on to hear from the musical wonder on just what comes next.
LUNA: We're at Head in the Clouds and you're playing later today - how are you feeling so far today?
YEEK: I feel good, I'm really excited. I'm kind of energetic right now and I'm ready to go. Hopefully this energy keeps going until it's time to play.
LUNA: Festivals have such a different energy to them, so what do you like about playing festivals compared to your normal shows?
YEEK: It feels like a big hangout with my friends and family. With festivals, I'm always rolling deep with a bunch of people, so sometimes we'll go and do our own things or we get to catch other people's sets. It's a nice mix of being able to play and being able to watch other people play. Whereas with my own shows, you're kind of in a smaller space, and you're also not really able to just hang out and enjoy. You stay in your green room until it's time to come out.
LUNA: Even though you had a new album out last year you’ve kept busy with new music, with your most recent single “Long Time No See” out earlier this summer. How would you compare the direction of this new music to the last project?
YEEK: It's more upbeat, dancey and fun. At some point in my career, I felt like music was really becoming to feel like a job and almost like something I had to do. When I first started music, I wanted to feel like I was just having fun with it. I feel like these records are perfect examples of me taking it back to the root of everything and the whole reason why I even started music was because I genuinely had fun. It's a reflection of whatever the fuck I want to make...I listen to such a rock wide range of music, so it's just a reflection of another corner of music that I'm into.
LUNA: I’ve always appreciated how thoughtful you are with your art beyond just the music itself - the visuals have always been so on point and creative. How is this new fun energy translating into the visual side and what role are you playing in that end of things?
YEEK: With this record that came out in January, and then the "Freaky (RGB)" video in May, we wanted to carry the past look and feel of the other visuals and elevate it. There will always be just a sense of me in the same way I make my music. I'm really into movies, and TV, so I'm inspired by whatever I'm watching at that time too. It's just creating my own little world.
LUNA: Do you see yourself stepping more into the creative director role?
YEEK: I eventually want to be more involved directionally, I already am with my visual but definitely want to continue to get more into it. I just recently acted in my first movie that was in the Tribeca Film Festival where we won two awards. It felt it was a good entry way into the world of film. One of my life goals is to write a film. It's this script I've had in my head all my life and it's a story based on my life story as a fictional film. That's my life project. I want to take my time with that - I don't think I want to direct a bunch of movies. I just want to do this one movie that is in my head.
LUNA: What are your intentions for the rest of the year?
YEEK: Another project, more visuals and more touring, all that stuff.
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